Macadamia and cashew nut muffins with fermented nut cheese

I took on another challenge last week to try to make for the first time fermented nut cheese. I love fermented foods, they are filled with probiotics and taste good as well.

The recipe I used for fermented nut cheese, I took from one vibrant inspiring nutritionist Meghan Telpner and the macadamia nut and cashew nut bread recipe I took from another inspiring nutritionist I have followed now for years, Kelly LeVeque.

I turned this combo into a yummy healthy breakfast, muffins into burgers with fermented cheese and avocado slices in between the muffins served with a green smoothie (celery, spinach, parsley, ginger, lemon, one pear, cayenne pepper, filtered water). Gluten-free, lactose-free, sugar-free, ketogenic meal to start the day right with no elevated blood sugar.

Macadamia and cashew nut muffins

Makes 12 portions

(original Kelly LeVeque recipe)

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup of whole raw macadamia nuts

• 1/2 cup of whole raw cashew nuts

• 5 eggs

• 1 tsp of baking soda

• 1/2 tsp of sea salt or Himalayan salt

• 2 tbsp of fresh lemon juice

• 1/2 cup of coconut oil or 1/2 cup of coconut butter (I chose to decrease the quantity as macadamia nuts are very high fat nuts)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F).

In a food processor, blend the nuts till they turn into a chunky butter (I blended around 3 minutes, but it depends on the power of a blender you have). While the food processor is running, add one egg at a time through the chute. Let the egg be fully incorporated before you add another one. Add the baking soda and then stop the processor. Mix in the salt, coconut oil and the run the processor again for 5-10 seconds so all the ingredients are properly mixed. Finally add lemon juice and pulse to mix it in.

Take a muffin tray, grease the wholes in the tray and add in the holes the the muffin papers.

With the tablespoon put the mixture into the muffin papers. Bake in the oven 25 minutes until the muffins are lightly brown. Use a toothpick to check the readiness if needed. Take the muffins out from the oven and cool down. These muffins will store in the refrigerator for couple of days. Full on healthy fat, healthy protein and fibre.

Fermented nut cheese

I felt that this is one of these recipes, which you can be creative with, depending on what nuts you like and also what flavours you prefer in the cheese.

Makes approximately 1 cup

(original Meghan Telpner recipe)

Ingredients

For fermenting

• 1 cup of nuts, soaked (macadamia, cashew, almond)

• 1 acidopholous probiotic capsule + 3 tbsp of water (I had probiotics containing lactobacillus bacteria, so I used that)

or

• 3tbsp of pickle brine, kombucha

For flavouring

• 1/2 tsp of Himalayan or sea salt

• herbs/flavours of your choice (fresh basil and balsamic vinegar; cinnamon and organic dried cherries; cranberries; turmeric and nutritional yeast, lemon and dill, thyme and pistachio etc)

Instructions

Soak the nuts in water for 6-8 hours (add in the water half a tsp of sea salt, which help to make the nuts more bio-available). Rinse the nuts after soaking.

In the food processor, combine nuts with probiotic (mix the powder from the capsule and discard the capsule) and water or brine. Blend until smooth.

Put the mixture in the cheesecloth or nut milk bag and set on your counter for 36h or dehydrate on low for 24 hours.

Once fermented, put in the bowl and mix in the preferred flavours (see above in the ingredients). I added basil and organic balsamic vinegar. Taste and adjust seasoning. But bare in mind that the flavour will become stronger as the cheese ages.

Put te mixture to a sheet of parchment and roll into a log shape. Put it in a seals airtight container and store in your fridge to age for 4-6 days.

Once ready, transfer to a new fresh sheet of parchment and enjoy within 4-5 days.

Enjoy!